Division of the Plunder

25 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 26 “Count up the plunder that was [a]taken—of man and beast—you and Eleazar the priest and the chief fathers of the congregation; 27 and (A)divide the plunder into two parts, between those who took part in the war, who went out to battle, and all the congregation. 28 And levy a [b]tribute for the Lord on the men of war who went out to battle: (B)one of every five hundred of the persons, the cattle, the donkeys, and the sheep; 29 take it from their half, and (C)give it to Eleazar the priest as a heave offering to the Lord. 30 And from the children of Israel’s half you shall take (D)one of every fifty, drawn from the persons, the cattle, the donkeys, and the sheep, from all the livestock, and give them to the Levites (E)who [c]keep charge of the tabernacle of the Lord.” 31 So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses.

32 The booty remaining from the plunder, which the men of war had taken, was six hundred and seventy-five thousand sheep, 33 seventy-two thousand cattle, 34 sixty-one thousand donkeys, 35 and thirty-two thousand persons in all, of women who had not known a man intimately. 36 And the half, the portion for those who had gone out to war, was in number three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep; 37 and the Lord’s [d]tribute of the sheep was six hundred and seventy-five. 38 The cattle were thirty-six thousand, of which the Lord’s tribute was seventy-two. 39 The donkeys were thirty thousand five hundred, of which the Lord’s tribute was sixty-one. 40 The persons were sixteen thousand, of which the Lord’s tribute was thirty-two persons. 41 So Moses gave the tribute which was the Lord’s heave offering to Eleazar the priest, (F)as the Lord commanded Moses.

42 And from the children of Israel’s half, which Moses separated from the men who fought— 43 now the half belonging to the congregation was three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep, 44 thirty-six thousand cattle, 45 thirty thousand five hundred donkeys, 46 and sixteen thousand persons— 47 and (G)from the children of Israel’s half Moses took one of every fifty, drawn from man and beast, and gave them to the Levites, who kept charge of the tabernacle of the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 31:26 captured
  2. Numbers 31:28 tax
  3. Numbers 31:30 perform the service
  4. Numbers 31:37 tax

25 And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying,

26 “Take the sum of the prey that was taken, both of man and of beast, thou and Eleazar the priest and the chief fathers of the congregation;

27 and divide the prey into two parts, between those who took the war upon them, who went out to battle, and between all the congregation.

28 And levy a tribute unto the Lord on the men of war who went out to battle: one soul of five hundred, both of the persons, and of the beeves, and of the asses, and of the sheep.

29 Take it from their half, and give it unto Eleazar the priest for a heave offering of the Lord.

30 And of the children of Israel’s half, thou shalt take one portion of fifty, of the persons, of the beeves, of the asses, and of the flocks, of all manner of beasts, and give them unto the Levites, who keep the charge of the tabernacle of the Lord.”

31 And Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses.

32 And the booty, being the rest of the prey which the men of war had caught, was six hundred thousand and seventy thousand and five thousand sheep,

33 and threescore and twelve thousand beeves,

34 and threescore and one thousand asses,

35 and thirty and two thousand persons in all, of women who had not known a man by lying with him.

36 And the half, which was the portion of those who went out to war, was in number three hundred thousand and seven and thirty thousand and five hundred sheep;

37 and the Lord’S tribute of the sheep was six hundred and threescore and fifteen.

38 And the beeves were thirty and six thousand, of which the Lord’S tribute was threescore and twelve.

39 And the asses were thirty thousand and five hundred, of which the Lord’S tribute was threescore and one.

40 And the persons were sixteen thousand, of which the Lord’S tribute was thirty and two persons.

41 And Moses gave the tribute which was the Lord’S heave offering unto Eleazar the priest, as the Lord commanded Moses.

42 And of the children of Israel’s half, which Moses divided from the men who warred

43 (now the half that pertained unto the congregation was three hundred thousand and thirty thousand and seven thousand and five hundred sheep,

44 and thirty and six thousand beeves,

45 and thirty thousand asses and five hundred,

46 and sixteen thousand persons),

47 even of the children of Israel’s half, Moses took one portion of fifty, both of man and of beast, and gave them unto the Levites, who kept the charge of the tabernacle of the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.

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